Wellbeing is a fuzzy concept that lacks a consensus definition. It is often described as a combination of happiness and life satisfaction, although some criticize the focus on feeling good as rather shallow, favoring instead a concept of wellbeing that recognizes the value of living a meaningful life. However, meaningful lives are not always happy, as this research summary makes quite clear:

“Satisfying one’s needs and wants increased happiness but was largely irrelevant to meaningfulness. Happiness was largely present oriented, whereas meaningfulness involves integrating past, present, and future. For example, thinking about future and past was associated with high meaningfulness but low happiness. Happiness was linked to being a taker rather than a giver, whereas meaningfulness went with being a giver rather than a taker. Higher levels of worry, stress, and anxiety were linked to higher meaningfulness but lower happiness. Concerns with personal identity and expressing the self contributed to meaning but not happiness.” - Baumeister, Vohs, et al. (2013). Some key differences between a happy life and a meaningful life.

If I had to choose, I’d go with a meaningful life over a happy one. But that’s a false choice based on an idealized concept of happiness as pure lightness, unburdened by cares or worries. Not what I’m looking for. Wellbeing is more like it, at least wellbeing as the feeling that swells with autonomy (sense of agency, the ability to act on goals and values), competence (feeling able and effective), and relatedness (a sense of belonging and being connected to others). A feeling that grows stronger by overcoming challenge.

Challenge is but one of the feeder streams of wellbeing. Others include:

  • Sense of purpose: there are things you want to achieve

  • Sense of progress: you are moving forward and getting closer to your goals

  • Predictability: you’re pretty sure the world will be much the same tomorrow

Now, connect to the process of learning. Instruction should provide a predictable step-by-step learning process that is responsive to student needs and which slowly builds the students’ autonomy and competence, as they methodically work through lessons, with the teacher (or a digital equivalent) making ample use of feedback and encouragement to keep students on course and to deepen their sense of purpose and progress. Whenever possible, lessons should be adapted to each student’s level and then sped up or slowed down to maintain a moderate challenge level. Ideally, the school staff and environment will be supportive, friendly and safe. Et Voila!

References:

Roy F. Baumeister, Kathleen D. Vohs, Jennifer L. Aaker & Emily N. Garbinsky (2013) Some key differences between a happy life and a meaningful life, The Journal of Positive Psychology, 8:6, 505-516, DOI: 10.1080/17439760.2013.830764

Evans, D. and A. Popova (2016): “What Really Works to Improve Learning in Developing Countries? An Analysis of Divergent Findings in Systematic Reviews,” World Bank Research Observer, 31. http://hdl.handle.net/10986/29308

Gray-Lobe, Guthrie and Keats, Anthony and Kremer, Michael and Mbiti, Isaac and Ozier, Owen W., Can Education be Standardized? Evidence from Kenya (June 5, 2022). University of Chicago, Becker Friedman Institute for Economics Working Paper No. 2022-68, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4129184 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4129184

Ntoumanis N, Ng JYY, Prestwich A, Quested E, Hancox JE, Thøgersen-Ntoumani C, Deci EL, Ryan RM, Lonsdale C, Williams GC. A meta-analysis of self-determination theory-informed intervention studies in the health domain: effects on motivation, health behavior, physical, and psychological health. Health Psychol Rev. 2021 Jun;15(2):214-244. PMID: 31983293. DOI: 10.1080/17437199.2020.1718529